Writing Blog

Mom, tell me a story. (reloaded)

Desolated buildings were silently letting orange smoke from their ruined tops. Clouds of fire gushed up, melting with the shadows of the battlecruisers that scouted above. Strong beams of light shredded through the black matter of the night. Whirling engines of a foreign machine glided the sky which lost its shape since invaders came from another world.

The room was small as much was needed for a child to sleep in. A woman carried her little one to the bed, barely holding herself on her legs, sheets rippled and dirty from the ash that freely traveled from the broken window. She placed her child in bed, a healthy boy in pajamas with tribal marking on them, then she pulled the blanket over him and smiled grazing his antlers. Purple eyes of the boy shined with warmth. Yawn was soft and sweet, a tiny voice asked.

“Mom, tell me a story.” Words provoked a gentle smile on a war tormented feminine face that only knew how to love.

“Once upon a time, there was a hero with antlers of power. He had a fair black hair, as long as the night and eyes purple enough to shame other heroes. His name traveled the land calling others to follow him in the battle against the vile metal creatures that took over our sky.” The mother spoke with passion while the purple eyes grew with a sense of glory, “He rallied an army that has never been seen walking the land. He made Solorian tribes unite and fight the enemy that destroyed our world. He was brave, strong, honorable young stud that defied the hordes of noisy birds flying above us.”

“Did he fight the humans?” The voice stopped her for a second where another smile took the mother’s lips.

“Of course. He fought them fiercely and defended those that were weak to stand on their own.” She said giving more blanket to her son’s neck and tucked him in like a meatloaf.

“What about the metal bird and metal tortoise? What did he do to them?” Curious little voice questioned in a rapid-fire when “shush” sound set him silent.

“He crushed them like bugs and red oil ran from them in rivers.” She stifled her lip and formed a tight fist signaling the manner of hero’s victory.

“And he freed our world from the humans, banish them never to return?” The question only fueled the mother’s inspiration.

“Yes, he built his own bird and went above the sky where night protects our fallen warriors and broke the thing that brought them into our world. He then took his bird to their world and attacked their planet to root out the evil of Nine Galaxies.” Her teeth closed showing no gap between them, a wave of pure anger left steaming from her nose while her red eyes glowed in mixed feelings of wrath and sorrow.

“Whoa…” The boy looked around the ceiling that was ripped apart with holes where he saw a battlecruiser fly on top of him.

This frightened the mother who laid over her son, spilled tears and muffled her cries in the blanket.

“Hush now, my Hero.” A palm slid down the grey cheek soft as her heart. “All heroes listen to their mother and have plenty of sleep.” She tried to cover her fear with a warm smile but glistening drops in her eyes spoke differently.

“Don’t worry, mom. I will be your hero. I will protect you.” The voice came from the blanket as boy’s eyes were already wandering over the images of future battles.

Her gasp came uneasy and worrying for the unknown that awaits her son. The room became darker by the second as night and smoke swarmed over their home. It was late, the enemy was outside, so she leaned over the empty side of the bed where the feet of her son couldn’t reach and curled up to stand watch until dawn.